Apparatus for making strands, yarns, and the like



Jan. 30, 1962 c. HARMON 3,018,521

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRANDS, YARNS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 27, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO -C31 e4 r45 AAM ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1962 c. HARMON3,018,521

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRANDS, YARNS, AND THE LIKE Filed June 27, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR (54x01: Ame/way MT'M/ ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1962 c.HARMON 3,018,521

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRANDS, YARNS, AND THE LIKE ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,018,521 APPARATUS FOR MAKING STS, YARNfi, AND THE LIKE CarlyleHarmon, Scotch Plains, N.J., assignor to Chicopee ManufacturingCorporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 27, 1958, Ser.No. 745,163 9 Claims. (Cl. 13-150) This invention relates to strands,rovings, yarns, and the like, and more particularly to novel improvedapparatus for making the same.

The product of the apparatus of this invention is a strand containingfibers disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment or parallelismand bundled, packed, or consolidated along their lengths. The strand maysubsequently be twisted into rovings or yarns; it may then be bonded; orit may be bonded without twisting, as desired or required. An importantfeature of this product is that the linear density of the strand, rovingor yarn is substantially constant and very nearly uniform along thelength thereof.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention involves theapplication of fluid rearranging forces to a flat, sheet-like layer offibrous starting material in spaced, parallel areas, referred to hereinas deflection zones. As a result of these rearranging forces, thefibrous web starting material is subdivided lengthwise into a pluralityof substantially separate, narrow strand-like strips or hands by thedisplacement of the fibers lying in the deflection zones between thestrand-like strips. The fibers in these narrow, strand-like strips arerearranged, packed and consolidated, and are moved substantially intolongitudinal alignment or parallelism with the long axis of eachstrand-like strip by the action of the applied rearranging forces, thusforming a strand. Rearranging forces which are fluid, and most desirablyhydraulic, in nature are preferred with the apparatus of this invention.

STARTING MATERIAL WITH WHICH APPARATUS OF THIS INVENTION IS USEFUL Inpracticing this invention, the starting material is a relatively flat,sheet-like fibrous web or layer containing fibers which arecapable ofmovement under the influence of applied rearranging forces. In thisfibrous web starting material, the individual fibers preferably arealigned generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the web.An example of such a fibrous web starting material is a card web inwhich the fiber alignment has preferably been increased somewhat overthe alignment present in the web as it comes directly off a card.

The fibrous web or layer which is processed to form the product of thisinvention may contain textile length fibers having various lengths, say,from about one-half inch in length up to about two and one-half inches,or more in length, as well vas various mixtures thereof. For example,the layer of starting material or base web may comprise naturalvegetable .and animal fibers such as cotton, silk, wool, alpaca, vicuna,mohair, flax, hemp, sisal, manila, ramie, jute, abaca, .etc.; thesynthetic or man- .made fibers such as the cellulosic fibers, notablycuprammonium, viscose, or regenerated cellulose fibers; cellulose esterfibers such as cellulose acetate and cellulose triacetate; thesaponified cellulose ester fibers such as Fortisan and For-tisan-B; thepolyamide fibers such as nylon 6 (polycaprolactam), nylon 66(hexamethylene diamine-adipic acid), nylon 6'10 (hexamethylenediaminesebacie acid), nylon 11 (ll-amino undecanoic acid-Rilsan);protein fibers such as zein Vicara and casein 'Aralac; halogenated,hydrocarbon fibers such as Tefing upon the requirements of the finishedproduct. thin web of fibers, as produced by a conventional card,

Patented Jan. 310, 1962 lon (polytetrafluoroethylene); hydrocarbonfibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polyisobutylene;polyester fibers such as Dacron; vinyl fibers such as Vinyon and saran;dinitrile fibers such as Darvan; nitrile fibers such as Zefran; acrylicfibers such as dynel, Verel, Orlon, Acrilan, Creslan, etc.; mineralfibers such as glass, metal,; etc.

For the purposes of describing the present invention, these textilelength fibers are divided into three groups: (1) the long textile-lengthfibers having a length greater than about 1% inches; (2) the mediumtextile length fibers having a length from about inch to about 1%inches; and (3) the short textile-length fibers having a length lessthan about inch and down to about /2 inch. The purpose of thisclassification will become clear from a consideration of the furtherdescription of the invention.

The denier of the synthetic or man-made fibers referred to above ispreferably in the range of the approximate thickness of the naturalfibers mentioned and consequently deniers in the range of from about 1to about 3 are preferred. However, where greater opacity or greatercovering power is desired, deniers of down to as low as about or even /2may be employed. Where greater bulk and loft, however, are desired,deniers of up to 5.5, 6, 8, 10, 15, or higher, are suitable. The minimumand maximum denier would, of course, be dictated by the desires orrequirements for producing a strand or yarn to be used in making aparticular fabric, and by the machines and methods for producing thesame.

If desired, the fibrous layer may include a minor proportion, say, lessthan 50% by weight and preferably less than about 25% by weight, offibers other than those of textile length. These other fibers may rangein length from about A2 inch down to about one-eighth of an inch, forexample. These shorter fibers normally are not used in conventionalmethods of producing strands or yarns.

Illustrative of the shorter length fibers which may be employed are thenatural cellulosic fibers such as papermaking wood or wood pulp fibersand cotton linters, mineral fibers such as asbestos, or any of theabove-mentione l fibers, if in lengths of less than about one-half inchand down to about one-eighth inch.

It is preferred, however, that the shorter papermaking fibers beunbeaten or substantially unhydrated, if a textile-like fabric isdesired as the end pro-duct. In this connection, shorter hydratedwoodpulp fibers of a papermaking length, for instance, may be mixed withlonger textile length fibers in such a way that the longer fibers willcontribute the strength desired in the resulting fabric while theshorter wood fibers will decrease its cost. Good results can also beobtained with a layer of hydrated woodpulp fibers which would introduceelements of a plastic mass into the fibrous sheet.

The fibrous starting material may also contain various types ofparticulate solids and semi-solids, including materials havingpotentially adhesive character or capable of providing visual or othersensory interest. If desired, the fibrous layer may also include specialfibers, as for example, fibers which are capable of curling, bending,stretching, shrinking or otherwise deforming after the yarn has beenproduced. The main requirement for these added individual elements ofthe starting fibrous material is that they also must be capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied rearranging fluid force.

The weight of the fibrous web or layer of starting material may bevaried within relatively wide limits dependmay have a weight of fromabout 35 to about grains per square yard. Such a thin fibrous web,however, is so fragile that its handling and manipulation is extremelydifiicult. In the usual case, therefore, from about 3 to about 12 ofthese webs are preferably combined and processed in the combined form.In instances where products having a greater weight are desired, totalweb weights of as high as about 1800 or 2000 grains or more per squareyard may be processed. Within the more commercial aspects of the presentinvention, however, web weights of from about 150 grains per square yardto about 850 grains per square yard are contemplated.

UNIFORM LINEAR DENSITY OF RESULTING PRODUCTS The strand or yarn producedby use of the apparatus of this invention exhibits strikingly uniformlinear density. This striking uniformity of linear density is acheved byproducing the strand or yarn product from a starting material, such as acard web, that itself possesses a relatively high degree of fiberalignment as well as uniformity in web weight throughout its area.

In contrast to the uniformity of linear density of the strands and yarnsof the present invention, conventional staple yarns made by currentlypopular processes generally exhibit a widely fluctuating linear density.The linear density or the weight per unit length of a short portion of aconventional staple yarn may vary from a value as high as several timesthe average linear density of the yarn to a value as low as a smallfraction of the average linear density. The reason for this fluctuationin linear density is that conventional yarn is usually produced by aprocess employing several roller drafting steps which unavoidablyintroduce variations, and these varitaions are unavoidably exaggeratedfurther in subsequent steps of the process.

The disadvantages produced by these linear irregularities inconventional staple yarns are that these marked variations in densityincrease the tendency of the yarn toward undesirable pilling and frayingwhich enables the loose fibers to ball up in washing or during use. Thisproduces a less attractive appearance, particularly in woven and knittedfabrics where uniformity of appearance is desired.

DEGREE OF ALIGNMENT OF FIBERS OF STARTING MATERIAL As is evident, whenthe fibrous starting layer is divided by the fluid rearranging forces ofthis invention into elongated strand-like strips or bands, the distanceseparating adjacent resulting strands is determined principally by manyfactors such as by the physical nature and intensity of the rearrangingforces employed, the shape, size and spacing of the deflection zones inwhich the rearranging forces are applied, the nature and arrangement ofthe fibers in the starting layer, the nature of the backing member onwhich the fibrous starting layer is supported, and the freedom ofmovement of the individual fibers upon the backing member.

The distance separating adjacent strands in turn affects the length ofthe individual fibers that may be employed in the starting material, aswell as the degree of fiber alignment that should be present in thestarting material in order to avoid too many interconnecting crossfibers and to achieve substantially separate strands as the finalproducts of the method. If the individual starting fibers are notsubstantially longer than the distance separating adjacent strands to beproduced by the apparatus of this invention, the degree of alignment orparallelization of the fibers in the starting material is relativelyunimportant. However, when the individual fiber length is substantiallygreater than the distance between adjacent strands to be produced by theapparatus of the invention, the degree of alignment of the fibers of thestarting material becomes increasingly important as the length of thefibers increases. If it is desired to achieve substantial separation ofadjacent strands without having to sever any large number ofinterconnecting fibers, the degree of alignment or paral- 4 lelizationof the starting fibers must be higher when the fibers are longer.

As stated above, a conventional card web makes a very suitable startingmaterial for the method of this invention, especially after it has beengiven some additional drafting upon being taken off the carding machine.In a web produced as just described, it is difficult to measure fiberorientation or alignment directly because the individual fibers thereofare curled, hooked and bent, with various segments of the fibersextending in various directions. However, a kind of average orientationwhich is helpful in describing the physical characteristics of the webmay be arbitrarily defined and experimentally measured. Thischaracteristic is called the degree of fiber orientation, degree offiber alignment, or percent of fiber parallelism. The degree of fiberorientation is determined by bonding the web uniformly with a materialsuch as starch, drying the bonded web, measuring tensile strengthslengthwise and crosswise of the resulting fabric, and then computing thepercentage of lengthwise or long strength of the fabric to its totalstrength. Total strength, for this purpose, is the sum of the tensilestrengths in the long and cross directions. Thus, if the long tensilestrength in a conventional card web is three times the cross tensilestrength, the degree of fiber orientation or degree of fiber alignmentis 75 percent. When the quoted terms or similar terms are used in thisspecification and claims, they have the meaning just indicated.

One skilled in the art who applies the teaching of this specificationwill therefore be able to examine a given starting fibrous layer anddetermine whether the method of this invention can be used to produce asatisfactory group of strand-like products connected by a minimum, ifany, cross fibers. In making this determination, measurement of thedegree of fiber orientation or degree of fiber alignment as definedabove will be helpful. If the distance by which the final strands are tobe separated is, for example, about A; inch, it has been found thatrayon fibers of fairly long textile length (say, over 1% inches), to berearranged by streams of water applied against the fibers whilesupported in a narrow space between a foraminous nylon belt and parallelsolid rings defining elongated open zones, should display aboutalignment (9:1) in the longitudinal direction of the starting web inorder to form substantially separate strands of fibers. Preferably suchstarting fibers should have about alignment, and most desirably theyshould be substantially close to aligned in the longitudinal directionof the starting web. With fibers of medium textile length (say, about 4inch to about 1% inches) under the conditions specified, a fibrousstarting material having about 80% or more alignment will producesatisfactory results. If fibers of short textile length (about /2 inchto about 4 inch) are employed under the same conditions, a startingmaterial of as low as about 70% alignment may be used.

When the fibrous starting material includes a mixture of fibers ofvarious fiber lengths, the fibers of any particular length should beoriented approximately to the degree indicated above for that particularlength, and the fibers of any other given length should be orientedapproximately to the degree indicated for that length.

Unless otherwise indicated, the distance separating the finalstrand-like products resulting from the use of the apparatus of thisinvention is about As inch for the various statements made in thisspecification, whether in the specific examples or elsewhere.

REARRANGING FLUID The treating fluid which is used to rearrange thefibers in the web in the apparatus of this invention is preferablywater, but it may also contain materials which it is desired toincorporate in the strandor yarn-like product. For example, the treatingliquid may be an aqueous :liquor containing a binder, dye, aflame-retardant agent, a mothor mildew-proofing material, a wet-strengthagent, an insecticide or germicide, a disinfectant, or the like.

If desired, and particularly where the fiber selected is hydrophobic,the water used in the hydraulic rearrangement in accordance with theapparatus of the invention may be heated to facilitate fiber relaxationand rearrangement. Liquids other than water may also be used, eitheralone or with the water, to facilitate fiber relaxation or simply tomodify the wetting action of the water upon the fibers for the purposeof increasing lubricity to thereby facilitate rearrangement by fluidforces.

Methods and apparatus for obtaining the products of the apparatus ofthis invention from such fibrous webs by such rearranging techniques arefully described in copending commonly-assigned patent application SerialNumber 745,010, filed simultaneously herewith on June 27, 1958 in thename of Frank Kalwaites. The methods and apparatus disclosed thereinhave been found commercially satisfactory and acceptable. However, it isa purpose of the present invention to provide another form of apparatuscomprising a different construction which is adaptable in many instancesand uses.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from aconsideration of the following description and accompanying drawingswherein there is described and illustrated a preferred design ofapparatus embodying the principles of the present invention. It is to beunderstood, however, that the inventive concept is not to be limited tothe particular construction disclosed except as determined by the scopeof the appended claims.

With reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a simplified idealized fragmentary perspective view of aportion of a continuous strand of fibers made in accordance with thepresent invention, a portion of the strand being broken away to revealthe interior thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a simplified schematic view in elevation showing the generalprinciples of operation of the present invention, prior to therearrangement of the fibers of the web into continuous strands;

FIGURE 2a is a simplified schematic view in elevation, similar to FIGURE2, showing the general principles of operation of the present invention,subsequent to the rearrangement of the fibers of the web into continuousstrands;

FIGURE 3 is a simplified schematic view in elevation, partially incross-section, showing a preferred physical embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, in diagrammatic form, of a preferredembodiment of apparatus for forming strands and yarns in accordance withthe present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-section of a part of the apparatusillustrated in FIGURE 4, said cross-section being taken through theperiphery of the rearranging annular-ring drum at right angles theretoat approximately the one oclock position, as viewed in FIGURE 4, showingthe fibrous web starting material in its integral construction;

FIGURE 5a is a fragmentary cross-section of a part of the apparatusillustrated in FIGURE 4, said crosssection being taken through theperiphery of the rearranging annular-ring drum at right angles theretoat approximately the three oclock position, showing the plurality ofstrands being formed from the fibrous web;

FIGURE 5b is a fragmentary cross-section of a part of the apparatusillustrated in FIGURE 4, said crosssection being taken through theperiphery of the rearranging annular-ring drum at right angles theretoat approximately the four oclock position, showing the plurality ofstrands formed from the fibrous web, as well as the construction of theannular ring support roll and FIGURE 50 is a fragmentary cross-sectionof a part of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 4, said cross-sectionbeing taken through the periphery of the rearranging drum at rightangles thereto, at approximately the nine oclock position, showing thestrand construction in substantially completed form.

THE PRODUCT RESULTING FROM THE APPARATUS OF THIS INVENTION FIGURE 1represents a simplified, fragmentary, perspective view of a continuousstrand of fibers made in accordance with the present invention. As canbe seen,

substantially all of the individual fibers It) of the strand arearranged in substantially longitudinal alignment or parrallelisrn andare consolidated in closely packed. relatively untwisted relationship.The individual fibers 10 have their longitudinal or medium axesgenerally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strand and aregenerally parallel to one another.

A few meandering fibers If spirally encircle some of the longitudinallyaligned fibers 1b, the over-all direction of orientation of themeandering fibers Ill being generally the same as that of thelongitudinally aligned fibers 19. A few free ends or tips 12 of some ofthe surface fibers of the fibrous strand protrude therefrom to form afuzz or nap on the surface thereof which provides a desirable softnessand hand thereto. The fuzz constituted by the fibrous ends 12 isbelieved to be caused by the curling of the free ends of the unconfinedsurface fibers during heating, drying or other processing.

SCHEMATIC ILLUSTRATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF THIS INVENTION The principleof this invention is schematically depicted in FIGURES 2 and 2a, whereinthe reference numeral 19 designates a fibrous layer such as a card webcontaining highly aligned fibers which is carried on a foraminousfluid-permeable supporting member 20, such as a wire or plastic screen.In FIGURE 2, the card web 19 is shown intact in one piece on theforaminous support 2 9. This is the existing situation at the beginningof the rearranging process before a fluid is passed through the card web19 to rearrange its fibrous structure.

As can be seen in FIGURE 2a, a fluid, which is preferably a liquid, as,for example, water or another aqueous medium, is passed in spaced,generally parallel zones 23 through the card web 19, and then throughthe foraminous support 2t). The fiow of liquid toward the card web 19 onthe foraminous support 2A? is indicated diagrammatically by thedirectional arrows 21 in FIGURES 2 and 2a and the flow of liquid whichhas passed through the foraminous support 2b is identified by thedirectional arrows 22 in FIGURE 211.

Some of the liquid striking the upper surface of the foraminous supportit? in the spaced-apart zones 23 is displaced or deflected laterallythereon in directions generally parallel to the median plane of the cardWeb 19 on the foraminous support it All of the liquid strikingforaminous support 2% and so deflected laterally thereon will havecomponents of motion and force parallel to that median plane. Thedisplaced flow of liquid is indicated in FIGURE 2a by the directionalarrows 24.

As can be seen from FIGURES 2 and 2a, the card web 19 is separated anddivided by the rearranging liquid into fiber bundles 25 which areperipherally packed by the deflected flowing liquid forces 2%. on theforaminous support 20. The fibers constituting each bundle 25 arepacked, consolidated and deposited so that the longitudinal axis of eachbundle 25 lies approximately midway between the spaced zones 23. Thefluid forces 24 acting generally parallel to the median plane of thecard web 19 and applied on opposite sides of each fibrous bundle 25 aregenerally opposite in direction and are in substantial equilibrium.Thus, the fibers It) and II in the card web 1% are rearranged,longitudinally aligned, and formed into a packed bundle 25 underconditions of substantial equilibrium.

It will thus be realized from FIGURES 2 and 2a that movement of the cardWeb 19 through the plane of these FIGURES will cause successive portionsthereof to be acted upon by the liquid rearranging forces 24 to cause itto be separated into a plurality of spaced, parallel, continuous strandsof substantially aligned fibers formed of successions of fibrous bundles25.

As used in this specification and in the claims, the term median sectionof the fibrous layer means the locus of all points midway between thetwo general boundary surfaces of the layer. The median section of thefibrous layer will often be a plane, and will lie substantially parallelto the plane of the foraminous supporting means.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a preferred physicalembodiment of the present invention in which the rearranging fluid 21 isapplied to the card web 19 in a pattern wherein the spaced apart zones23 are physically defined and separated by slotted divider means 30which extend in a direction generally parallel to the direction ofpredominant orientation of the fibers in the card web 19. The referencenumerals 19 through 25 have the same significance in FIGURE 3 that theyhad in FIG- URES 2 and 211.

As will be explained below in connection with the preferred embodimentof this invention, the foraminous support 20, the slotted dividing means30, and the card web 19 being rearranged into continuous bundles orstrands 25 preferably move together through the region in which thefluid forces 24 are applied.

In FIGURE 4, which is a perspective diagrammatic view of a preferredembodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, a card web 1 42coming from a conventional textile card (not shown) passes throughconventional drafting means, such as a plurality of drafting rolls 143,wherein the fiber alignment of the card web 142 is increased to adesired degree.

In the event that the fiber alignment of the card web is deemedsufficiently high, which may be possible particularly when the shorterof the textile length fibers are used, the drafting means may beomitted. However, it has been found more practical usually to includeone such drafting means between the textile card and the hydraulicrearranging apparatus, as is shown in FIGURE 4.

The total draft of the drafting means will naturally depend on thefibers used, their length, their initial alignment, the degree of fiberalignment desired, and so forth. In most cases, when drafting means areused, a total draft of at least about 1.5 or 2 has been foundsufficient.

The aligned card web, now referred to by reference numeral 144, isdelivered from the drafting rolls 143 and is placed on the surface of anendless movable, foraminous, fluid-permeable supporting member 134, suchas an open mesh wire or plastic screen. This supporting screen 134carries the aligned card web 144 over the rotatable guide roller 135 andinto contact with the periphery of a cylindrical rearranging drum 130comprising a plurality of spaced annular rings 133.

The number and spacing of the annular rings 133 constituting therearranging drum 130 depends upon many factors, the most important beingthe number and the size of the strands desired, as well as the type offibers and weight of the fibrous web. For a conventional 36" card web,for example, weighing from about 150 grains per square yard to about 850grains per square yard, as few as about 54 rings and as many as about324 have been found satisfactory. Within the more comercial aspects ofthe present invention, however, from about 72 rings to about 216 ringsper 36" width have been found most practical. The thickness of eachindividual ring will vary, depending primarily upon the width of thedesired strand and may be as thin as about inch to as thick as about Ainch, and preferably Irom about 7 inch to about inch.

A plurality of annular ring supporting rollers 131 are provided tomaintain the annular rings 133 in accurately spaced parallel planeswhereby the outer peripheries collectively define the outer surface ofthe rotatable cylindrical drum 130. The supporting rollers 131 areprovided with peripheral grooves 132 (see FIGURE 5b) whereby the spacedparallelism and relationship of the annular rings 133 is accuratelymaintained.

As shown, the annular ring supporting rollers 131 are integral but suchis not necessarily so. The rollers could be made of a plurality ofseparate platelike disks, separated by spacing elements of a desiredwidth, whereby interchangeability of parts and adjustability of thesupporting roller construction is provided.

In FIGURE 4, there are three supporting rollers illustrated but such ismerely preferred and is not essential to the invention. Depending uponthe strength and rigidity of the annular rings 133, the number ofrollers may be reduced to two, or increased to four, five or more.However, the area of the annular rings directly opposed to the fluidstream is preferably as open and unobstructed as possible to permit freeaccess of the rearranging fluid.

Consideration of FIGURE 4 will reveal that rotation of the annular rings133, either by frictional driving contact with any one of the rotatablesupporting rolls 131 or by the movable supporting screen 134, willresult in a collective cylindrical rotation of the annular rings,thereby resembling a rotatable drum in over-all aspect. The direction ofrotation is indicated by the directional arrow 141.

A cross-section of the body of an annular ring 133 is shown in FIGURES 5through 5c. It is noted that the cross-section is an isoscelestrapezoid, that is, a quadrilateral having two sides that are equal andtwo sides (top and base) which are parallel, with the angles between thesides and the base equal but opposite in direction. Such a configurationis preferred for reasons which will become clear from the furtherdescription of the invention.

The initial contact between the annular rings 133 and the aligned cardweb 144 carried by the supporting screen 134 is approximately at the oneoclock position of the rearranging drum (as viewed in FIGURE 4) and isschematically shown in detail in FIGURE 5. It is noted that such contactforms a three-layer sandwich in which the annular rings 133 areinnermost, the card web 144 is centrally positioned, and the supportingscreen 134 is outermost. This three-layer sandwich moves around theperiphery defined by the annular rings 133 and it is during a portion ofthis peripheral movement that the fiber rearrangement takes place.

Within the rotatable drum 130, there is positioned a header or manifold146 to which a fluid, preferably water, is supplied under a desiredpressure. Nozzles or jets 147 are provided on one face of the header 146and the fluid is projected therethrough under pressure at and throughthe three-layer sandwich as it is moved on the periphery of drum 130. Asseen in FIGURE 4, the fiuid being sprayed through the nozzles 147 isprojected at and through the sandwich in a zone extending from about oneoclock to about four oclock approximately. This zone will be referred toas the rearranging zone and the rearranging principles described withreference to FIGURES 1 through 3 are applicable thereto.

As shown in FIGURE 5, which is approximately at the one oclock positionof the rearranging drum 130, the card web 144 is integral and ispositioned between the annular rings 133 and the foraminous supportingscreen 134. This position is immediately prior to the initiation offluid rearrangement.

In FIGURE 5a, which is approximately at the three oclock position of therearranging drum 130, the rearrangement procedures are well advanced.The card web 144 has been separated and divided by the sprays 21 offluid into a plurality of strands 148 containing fibers disposedsubstantially in longitudinal alignment and bundled, packed andconsolidated along their lengths. The deflected flowing fluid forces 24described in particularity with reference to FIGURES 2a and 3 are beingapplied to the strands during this time.

One of the purposes of the flattened outer edges of the annular rings133 will become apparent at this time. Inasmuch as the strands 148 arebeing formed under or adjacent the annular rings 133, the outer surfacethereof is in direct contact therewith and controls the formation andshaping of the strands. Flattcned outer surfaces have been found to bemost preferable. Other forms of surfaces, such as concave surfaces,however, are also applicable.

It is also to be noted that the annular rings 133 are considerablythicker in a radial direction (from the center of the annulus outwardly)than in an axial direction. This, of course, increases the strength andrigidity of the annular rings whereby a greater number may be presentper linear inch of the card web width. Such a configuration alsoprovides for a greater accuracy and preciseness of ring spacing.

In FIGURE 5b, which is approximately at the four oclock position of therearranging drum 130, the construction of the annular ring supportingroll 131 is clearly illustrated. The preferred shaping of the grooves132 is to be noted particularly with reference to the angular taperedinner portions of the annular rings 133 which are similar and insupporting contact with the seats of the grooves 132. A smooth rollingcontact is thus insured with a minimum of friction between the sidewalls of the grooves 132 and the sides of the annular rings 133. Such asmooth rolling construction, when combined with the inherent strength ofa metallic annular ring having an isosceles trapezoidal cross-section,as described previously, provides for closer control over the accuracyand preciseness of strand formation. This is, of course, highlyimportant when the thickness and weight of an individual strand offibers is considered.

In FIGURE 5c, which is approximately at the nine oclock position of therearranging drum 130, the rearrangement procedures are concluded. Theplurality of strands 148 are shown in finished form, although stillcontaining .a considerable amount of fluid. These strands 148 are nowready for further processing, as desired or required.

The foraminous supporting screen 134 carries the strands 148 over arotatable guide roller 139 and then over a vacuum or suction box 149,having an air-withdrawal or suction conduit 150 to exhaust the fluidcollected in the vacuum box 149. The foraminous supporting screen 134then carries the de-watered strands 148 forwardly over a rotatableroller 138 where the strands separate from the supporting screen 134 andare led to a direction-changing roller 151. At this point, the strandsare led downwardly to conventional twisting and winding devices 152 suchas, for exam-pie, a ring 154 and ring rail 153 capable of twisting thestrands into yarns and winding them to form bobbins 155. If desired,bonding may be employed to adhesively bond the fibers of the yarntogether. Or if preferred, the adhesive bonding may take place withouttwisting. An adhesive bond such as viscose or regenerated cellulose iscited as illustrative of many suitable bonding agents.

The foraminous supporting screen 134 having delivered the strands to thetwisting and winding devices, and/or bonding apparatus, is leddownwardly over rotatable roller 138, around a supporting rotatableroller 137, over a tensioning and tracking rotatable roller 140 andaround a supporting rotatable roller 1315 to be returned aroundsupporting rotatable roller 135 to complete its closed continuous cycle.

The invention will be further illustrated in greater detail by thefollowing specific examples. It should be understood, however, thatalthough these examples may describe in particular detail some of themore specific features of the invention, they are given primarily forpurposes of illustration and the invention in its broader aspects is notto be construed as limited thereto.

Example I A 36 carded web of viscose fibers weighing 200 grains persquare yard and containing fibers having a length of 1% inches and adenier of 1 /2 is advanced at a velocity of 30 yards per minute throughthe strand forming machine shown in FIGURE 4. The carded web is firstdrafted so that immediately prior to rearrangement the fibers thereofare aligned in the direction of travel in a ratio of about 9 to 1 Drum130 has an external diameter of 12 inches, rings 133 being 43 inch inwidth and spaced apart a distance of inch, center to center.

A single row of nozzles 147 is employed, spaced at a distance of 4inches from the fibrous layer. The nozzles are solid cone nozzlesproviding a uniform spray having a high nozzle velocity. Water isapplied to the nozzles at a pressure of about pounds per square inch.

In this fashion, the card web is subdivided into 144 separate strandswhich are roughly elliptical in cross-section and in which theindividual fibers are disposed substantially in longitudinal alignment.The linear density is substantially constant and very nearly uniformalong the length of the strand. The strands possess an average dryweight of about 1.4 grains per yard of length, and an average longdiameter of about inch. The strands are twisted to about 6 turns perinch and the resulting yarn is used in the manufacture of woven fabrics.

Example II The procedures set forth in Example I are followedsubstantially as set forth therein with the exception that the startingmaterials comprise a blend of 50% by Weight of the viscose rayon fibersused in Example I and 50% by weight of cotton having a staple length of1% inches.

The resulting yarn is comparable to the all-viscoserayon yarn obtainedin Example I, taking into account the expected differences due to thesubstitution of 50% by weight of the viscose rayon by the cotton fibers.The yarn has excellent uniformity along its length and substantiallyconstant linear density.

Example Ill The procedures of Example I are followed substantially asset forth therein with the exception that the viscose rayon fibers havea length of inch and a denier of 1 /2. The degree of fiber alignment isalso changed and is about 80%.

The resulting yarn has excellent uniformity and substantially constantlinear density. It can be used in the manufacture of Woven fabrics.

Example IV The procedures of Example I are followed substantially as setforth therein with the exception that the thickness of the annular rings133 is increased to inch, with the spacing between annular rings being 6inch, center to center. In this way, the card web is subdivided into 108separate strands (3 per inch) which are approximately elliptical incross-section. These strands possess an average dry weight of about 1.85grains per yard of length and an average long diameter of about inch.The strands are twisted to about 4 turns per inch and the resulting yarncan be used in the manufacture of woven fabrics.

Example V The procedures of Example I are followed substantially as setforth therein with the following exceptions: the web weight is reducedto 100 grains per square yard; the annular rings are inch wide and theclear spacing etween annual rings is also ,4 inch; 288 strands areformed with each strand weighing about 0.35 grain per linear yard; thestrand is given 14 twists per inch; and is woven into a fabric.

Example VI Example I is repeated utilizing two banks of spray nozzlesinstead of one, and it is found that the web can be handler at a rate of50 yards per minute instead of the previous 30 yards per minute.

Example Vll Using three banks of spray nozzles and the same pressurespreviously set forth, it is found that the 200 grain web can be handledat 70 yards per minute.

Although several specific examples of the inventive concept have beendescribed, the same should not be construed as limited thereby nor tothe specific substances or elements mentioned therein but to includevarious other substances or elements, as set forth in the claimsappended hereto. It is understood that any suitable changes,modifications and variations may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for converting a fibrous web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied fluid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises:endless, movable foraminous means for supporting said web and saidstrands said supporting means having a surface free of obstacles to themovement of fibers therealong under the influence of fluid deflectingforces; spaced annular rotatable separating means adjacent saidforaminous means and defining a plurality of elongated open zones; meansfor positioning a fibrous web between said annular separating means andsaid foraminous supporting means; means for rotating said foraminoussupporting means and said annular separating means with said websupported therebetween; and means to pass a fluid between said annularseparating means, through said fibrous web and through said foraminoussupporting means, whereby said fibrous web is separated into a pluralityof substantially separate fibrous strands.

2. Apparatus for converting a fibrous web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied liquid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises:endless, movable foraminous means for supporting said web and saidstrands said supporting means having a surface free of obstacles to themovement of fibers therealong under the influence of liquid deflectingforces; spaced annular rotatable separating means adjacent saidforaminous means and defining a plurality of elongated open zones; meansfor positioning a fibrous web between said annular separating means andsaid foraminous supporting means; means for rotating said foraminoussupporting means and said annular separating means with said websupported therebetween; and means to pass a liquid between said annularseparating means, through said fibrous web and through said foraminoussupporting means, whereby said fibrous web is separated into a pluralityof substantially separate fibrous strands. J

3. Apparatus for converting a fibrous web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied fluid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises:endless, movable foraminous means for supporting said web and saidstrands said supporting means having a surface free of obstacles to themovement of fibers therealong under the influence of fluid deflectingforces; a plurality of spaced annular rotatable separating ringsadjacent said foraminous means and defining a plurality of elongatedopen zones; means to position a fibrous web between said annularseparating rings and said foraminous means; means for rotating saidforaminous supporting means and said annular separating rings with saidweb supported therebetween; and means to pass a fluid between saidannular separating rings, through said fibrous web and through saidforaminous supporting means, whereby said fibrous web is separated intoa plurality of substantially separate fib ous strands.

4. Apparatus for converting a fibrous web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied fluid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises: anendless, movable foraminous fluid permeable screen for supporting saidweb and said strands said supporting screen having a surface free ofobstacles to the movement of fibers therealong under the influence offluid deflecting forces; a plurality of spaced, rigid, rotatable annularseparating rings adjacent said foraminous fluid permeable screen anddefining a plurality of elongated open zones; means to position afibrous web between said annular separating rings and said foraminousfluid permeable screen; means for rotating said foraminous supportingscreen and said annular separating rings with said web supportedtherebetween, and means to pass a fluid between said annular separatingrings, through said fibrous web and through said foraminous fluidpermeable screen, whereby said fibrous web is separated into a pluralityof substantially separate fibrous strands.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the annular separating ringshave a flattened portion in contact with the fibrous web.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the annular separating ringsare isosceles trapezoidal in cross section.

7. Apparatus for converting a fibrous Web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied fluid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises: anendless, movable foraminous fluid permeable screen for supporting andtransporting said web and said strands said foraminous screen having asuface free of obstacles to the movement of fibers therealong under theinfluence of fluid deflecting forces; a plurality of rotatable, rigidannular separating rings adjacent said foraminous fluid permeable screenand movable therewith for defining a plurality of elongated open zones;a plurality of rotating suppo ting rolls, each of said rolls havingparallel grooves circumferentially positioned on its exterior surface toreceive and support the annular separating rings; means to position afibrous web between said annular separating rings and said foraminousfluid permeable screen; means for rotating said foraminous screen andsaid annular separating rings with said web supported therebetween; andmeans to pass a fluid between said annular separating rings, throughsaid fibrous web and through said foraminous fluid permeable screen,whereby said fibrous web is separated into a plurality of substantiallyseparate fibrous strands.

8. Apparatus for converting a fibrous web containing fibers capable ofmovement under the influence of an applied liquid force into fibrousstrands containing longitudinally aligned fibers which comprises: anendless movable foraminous liquid permeable screen for supporting andtransporting said web and said strands said foraminous screen having asurface free of obstacles to the movement of fibers therealong under theinfluence of liquid deflecting forces; a plurality of rotatable, rigidannular separating rings adjacent said foraminous liquid permeablescreen and movable therewith for defining a plurality of elongated openzones; a plurality of rotating supporting rolls, each of said rollshaving parallel grooves circumferentially positioned on its exteriorsurface to receive and support the annular separating rings; means toposition a fibrous web between said annular separating rings and saidforaminous liquid permeable screen; means for rotating said foraminousscreen and said annular separating rings with said web supportedtherebetween; and means to pass a liquid between said annular separatingrings, through said fibrous web and through said foraminous liquidpermeable screen, whereby said fibrous Web is separated into a pluralityof substantially separate fibrous strands.

9. Apparatus for making fibrous strands containing longitudinallyaligned fibers from a fibrous Web containing fibers capable of relativemovement within the web under the influence of applied fluid forces,said apparatus comprising a series of similar circular members of thesame diameter spaced along and mounted for rotation about a commoncentral axis, a traveling foraminous fluid permeable web supportingmember having a surface free of obstacles to the movement of fiberstherealong under the influence of fluid deflecting forces and arrangedto convey a fibrous web supported thereby in close proximity to andaround a substantial portion of the periphery of the circular membersduring rotation of the latter, and means for directing fluid betweensaid circular members and against a fibrous web supported by theforaminous web supporting member and thence through said foraminousmember to deflect the fibers of the Web out of first Zones on theforaminous web supporting member determined by the space between thecircular members and into second zones on the foraminous web supportingmember intermediate the first Zones, whereby said fibrous web isseparated into a plurality of substantially separate fibrous strands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,765,571 Edison et al June 24, 1930 2,274,424 Miller Feb. 24, 19422,274,425 Miller Feb. 24, 1942 2,862,251 Kalwaites Dec. 2, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS 17,199 Great Britain of 1903 21,915 Great Britain of 1902 24,136Great Britain of 1902 25,629 Denmark Feb. 18, 1920

1. APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING A FIBROUS WEB CONTAINING FIBERS CAPABLE OFMOVEMENT UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN APPLIED FLUID FORCE INTO FIBROUSSTRANDS CONTAINING LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED FIBERS WHICH COMPRISES:ENDLESS, MOVABLE FORAMINOUS MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID WEB AND SAIDSTRANDS SAID SUPPORTING MEANS HAVING A SURFACE FREE OF OBSTACLES TO THEMOVEMENT OF FIBERS THEREALONG UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF FLUID DEFLECTINGFORCES; SPACED ANNULAR ROTATABLE SEPARATING MEANS ADJACENT SAIDFORAMINOUS MEANS AND DEFINING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED OPEN ZONES; MEANSFOR POSITIONING A FIBROUS WEB BETWEEN SAID ANNULAR SEPARATING MEANS ANDSAID FORAMINOUS SUPPORTING MEANS; MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID FORAMINOUSSUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID ANNULAR SEPARATING MEANS WITH SAID WEBSUPPORTED THEREBETWEEN; AND MEANS TO PASS A FLUID BETWEEN SAID ANNULARSEPARATING MEANS, THROUGH SAID FIBROUS WEB AND THROUGH SAID FORAMINOUSSUPPORTING MEANS, WHEREBY SAID FIBROUS WEB IS SEPARATED INTO A PLURALITYOF SUBSTANTIALLY SEPARATE FIBROUS STRANDS.